If you are an iPhone or iPad user, you won't have to rely on any third-party application for video conferencing or video chatting with your friends. Most of the updated Apple devices have an inbuilt feature for video calling, and it's called FaceTime.
Apple introduced Group FaceTime in 2018, and since iOS 12.1, it is there on every Apple device. FaceTime allows you to video-chat up to thirty-two people from contacts at once.
You can use the iMessage app on your iPhone to add contacts and people you want to chat with. You can also call one person first then add the rest members in your group on FaceTime. This article will further discuss how to group FaceTime on your iPhone.
However, before starting a video call, you should first check what version of iOS you are using. Since group FaceTime calls are available for iPhone 6s and newer Apple devices.
Though older iOS users can join the group FaceTime, there won't be any video feed; people will only receive the audio feed. Also, FaceTime has a record of being buggy for quite some time, so it will be best if you upgrade your device first.
Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad, go to General, then click on the Software Update option. If there is an update, update your Apple device and start a group video call.
Create a Group for FaceTime Call
It's a very straightforward process to start a group FaceTime call.
- Firstly open the FaceTime app on your iPhone or iPad. In the app, click on the PLus (+) icon at the top-right of the screen.
- Start typing the person's contact name in the To field and add the group FaceTime call as a member.
- Here, you can add multiple recipients by clicking on the plus icon again.
- However, you can start the call with just a single person and add more contacts later during the FaceTime call.
- You won't have to type the full name of the contact. Just type a few letters of the name, and FaceTime will suggest you the contacts.
- Instead, you can also enter the number of the contacts here. However, ensure that they are using an iOS device for the group FaceTime to be successful.
While adding contacts, you will notice the contacts appearing in blue and gray. The gray contacts are those who haven't updated their iOS version to 12.1 or newer. Blue contacts are all updated users.
So, by looking at that, you can expect from which contact you won't have the video feed. Lastly, to start the call, press the green Video button.
Once you have pressed the Video button, each of the added contacts in the group FaceTime call will get a notification. They have to tap on the notification to open the FaceTime app and join the conversation.
Group FaceTime Call From iMessage
iMessage is the default messaging application for all Apple devices such as iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Using iMessage, a user could also make group FaceTime call. However, you will require an existing group message thread that includes the people that you want to FaceTime.
To make a group FaceTime call from iMessage
- Firstly open the iMessage app on your iPhone there click on the group message thread, ensure that it's the group message thread that includes the people you want to call.
- Then click on the image icon at the top of the screen and select the FaceTime option to start the call.
- All of the contacts will be notified and can join the call via iMessage or FaceTime app.
Add More Contacts During the Live Call
Yes, you can add more recipients during the call and do a group FaceTime as mentioned earlier here. To do so, while you are FaceTiming, click on the three-dots circular icon, left of the End Call button. From the prompt, click select the Add Person option.
Tap on the Plus (+) icon to see all of your contacts and add one by one, or start typing the name of the person you want to add. Once you have added the group members click on the Add Person to FaceTime button below to notify all of the contacts for a FaceTime call.
Revisit Old Group FaceTime Calls
You don't have to create the same group with the same people multiple times to do a FaceTime call. All the Group FaceTime calls are logged in the FaceTime app.
Thus, users can open the FaceTime app and click on the previous video call to do a group FaceTime call. All of the previous video call participants will get a notification instantly, and you don't have to go through adding each member one by one.
Add Filters & Effects
FaceTime allows users to add various fun camera filters and effects during group FaceTime call. To do so, you will have to tap on the screen during a call, then from the small panel of icons, select the Star icon.
Click on the Sticker icon to add stickers or text button to add text with style, or add Animoji by clicking on the Lizard icon and Memoji. There are lots of effects to choose from. You can also move the added text, images, shapes, and stickers around the screen.
Conclusion
To do a group FaceTime call, open up the FaceTime app, click on the plus icon at the top and start adding the participants from your contact. Hit the green Audio or Video call button to start the group Facetime. You can also start a Group FaceTime via the iMessage app.
During the group FaceTime calls, you can add more people in the group call by clicking on the three dots and adding more people. You can also add cool filters and effects to lighten up the Video chat.
